The number of family disputes over wills continues to rise according to new research. A report in the Times newspaper says there was an 11% increase last year in the number of people challenging their parents’ wills in the High Court. It’s thought that an increasing number of cases are also being settled out of court. Lawyers say there could be several reasons for the increase but it’s likely that …Read More
Man wins the right to buy home he shared with his partner
A 91-year-old man has been granted the right to buy the home he shared with his partner because her will had not made reasonable provision for him. The court heard that the man had lived in the home with his partner for 20 years. She had made a will leaving all her estate to her daughter and nothing to him. After she died, her daughter began legal proceedings to gain …Read More
Trust enabled Duke of Westminster to avoid billions in tax
The late Duke of Westminster saved his family billions of pounds by using a trust that allows wealth to pass through the generations without attracting a large inheritance tax liability. The Duke died in August leaving an estate valued at £9bn. It’s thought nearly all of that wealth will pass to his son Hugh without triggering death duties. This is because under a complex trust structure, the family are trustees …Read More
Daughters lose appeal after being left out of father’s will
A father had understood what he was doing when he left his daughters out of his will and made specific provisions for the division of his estate. That was the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of two daughters who believed their father had been subjected to undue influence shortly before his death. The court heard that the father had substantial shares in a company. While in …Read More
Divorced husband allowed to challenge former mother-in-law’s will
A divorced husband has been given permission by the Court of Appeal to challenge the will of his former mother-in-law. The issue arose out of the divorce settlement between Colin Randall and his former wife Hilary. Mrs Randall had agreed that if she inherited anything from her mother, she would keep the first £100,000 and share the remainder equally with Mr Randall. However, when the mother died several years later, …Read More
Deceased man’s bank account frozen due to family dispute
A court has ordered that a deceased man’s bank account should be frozen because of a family dispute over his estate. The case involved a man who had died intestate, that is, without having made a will. His bank accounts containing £500,000 were closed down by his eldest son, from his first marriage. The man’s second wife then contacted the eldest son to discuss how the money in the accounts …Read More
Charities benefit as woman’s second will declared invalid
A woman’s second will in which she declared that she wanted to leave most of her estate to a close friend has been declared invalid because it wasn’t properly executed. It means that a number of charities will now inherit even though it’s unlikely that she wanted her money to pass to them. The case involved a woman who first made a will in 1982 in which most of her …Read More
New laws for people who die with no Will
Inheritance laws simplified for when people die without a Will The government has simplified inheritance laws in order to modernise the process of dividing the assets of a person who dies without making Will. It follows a review of intestacy law and a consultation carried out by the Law Commission.
Check your Will following changes to inheritance law
The Law Society is urging people to consult their solicitor to check their Will is accurate and up-to-date following changes made to inheritance laws. It points out that if you die intestate – without having a valid Will in place – or if your Will has not been written to the required legal standards, then your assets could be divided up in a way that you did not intend.
How the law can help as dementia crisis looms
How the law can help as dementia crisis looms The Government has launched a new interactive online map to enable people to see the quality of care provided for dementia sufferers in their area. There are 670,000 people in England who suffer with dementia, and the number is likely to double over the next 30 years. A further 21 million people have a close friend or family member who suffers …Read More